Why Not Every Seat is One Worth Taking | Focal Point with Imam Tom Facchine

It’s normal to struggle. The Prophet ﷺ said, “Faith wears out in your hearts just like clothes wear out.” So the question isn’t whether you’ll experience ups and downs—we all will.The real question is: What will you do to renew your faith?In this episode, Dr. Tesneem Alkiek shares how she navigated her own periods of spiritual burnout, and offers practical reflections on how to engage with the parts of Islam that might feel harder for you than for others.

Not every invitation to a seat at the table is one worth taking. Sometimes, showing up is actually selling out, and if we don’t define our limits, others will define them for us. Imam Tom breaks down what Muslims need today: knowing when to engage, when to walk away, and how power can use our presence to legitimize injustice. 

A word of affirmation that anchors you in truth. Not the kind that comforts you when you are doing wrong, but the kind that corrects you, strengthens you, and helps you remain on the right path. These are the friendships that truly matter.Watch this lecture by Dr. Omar Suleiman on the power of authentic friendship and surrounding yourself with people who genuinely care about your faith and your future.

When a pillar of leadership disappeared, the ummah didn’t just face uncertainty—it began to fracture.Division spread quickly: fear, suspicion, propaganda, and leaders willing to bargain away dignity just to survive. Loyalties splintered. Cities hesitated. Unity became fragile.And in the midst of that chaos, a name returned from the shadows—bringing with it a plot so unthinkable it forced the entire Muslim world to respond.

Sha’ban is the month of preparation for Ramadan. Every act of worship and every good habit you build in Sha’ban sets the foundation for your best Ramadan yet.Sha’ban is the month of training the nafs, your lower self. It’s a time to strengthen discipline, resist temptations, and silence the whisperings of Shaytan. By struggling against your desires now, you enter Ramadan spiritually ready and focused.Listen to the full khutbah by Dr. Omar Suleiman as he explains why Sha’ban is the perfect month to prepare your heart, mind, and soul for Ramadan.

"Live your truth.” “You do you.”Culture relentlessly pushes us to put ourselves and our happiness above all else. But if that’s the key to fulfillment, why are we more miserable than ever? In this episode, Dr. Tesneem Alkiek unpacks the rise of individualism and moral relativism, the impact of anger on mental health, and how forgiveness and re-centering God can help us move from bitter to better.

Between school, family, friends, health, and a hundred other obligations, how could you not feel burnt out? Is there any realistic way to juggle everything and stop feeling like you have to constantly push for more? In this episode, Dr. Tesneem Alkiek and host Qaanitah Hunter reflect on how to build a healthier rhythm rooted in consistency and balance. Because Allah loves small and steady deeds.

Between school, family, friends, health, and a hundred other obligations, how could you not feel burnt out? Is there any realistic way to juggle everything and stop feeling like you have to constantly push for more? In this episode, Dr. Tesneem Alkiek and host Qaanitah Hunter reflect on how to build a healthier rhythm rooted in consistency and balance. Because Allah loves small and steady deeds.

What you do in private is not hidden forever. On the Day of Judgment, your worship willIs the world really against you—or is it your ego? Too often, we reject truth and reassign divine power to “the universe,” losing sight of where real control and guidance come from. This lecture delivered by Dr. Omar Suleiman challenges the delusion of self-centeredness and false self-love, calling us back to accountability, humility, and purpose.Listen to the full lecture from the Light Upon Light Conference to learn how true growth begins with holding yourself accountable before Allah.

Salahuddin has finally come to power.But ruling Egypt is harder than taking it. As reform begins, the weight of old systems, old loyalties, and unseen enemies presses in. Change is necessary—but it’s dangerous...